Turn Out For The Budget Vote

Our Towns: East Hampton, East Haddam

April 25, 1997

East Hampton voters will vote on the town's $23.8 million budget referendum Tuesday, but those who will be out of town during the noon to 8 p.m. polling hours can still participate by using absentee ballots.

Some suggested extending voting hours by moving the poll opening to 6 a.m. That would encourage full participation by those whose work hours make getting to the polls difficult. But town officials were reluctant to incur the extra expense -- an estimated $300 to $500 -- of having poll watchers oversee what, in past experience, has been extremely limited morning voting. They instead decided to emphasize the ease of casting an absentee ballot.

State law has long allowed voters who will be out of town during a referendum to vote at the town clerk's office during regular business hours, which are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day except Friday, when the office closes at 12:30 p.m. On Tuesday, voting by absentee ballot in the clerk's office will be allowed until 11:59 a.m.

By publicizing the absentee voting hours, town officials are working to encourage greater participation in what is always a disappointingly small vote.

***

Students at East Haddam's Nathan Hale-Ray High School dedicated a memorial to victims of the Oklahoma City bombing last week. Students planted four trees about a year ago and built and installed three benches to create a lasting tribute to those killed in the terrible event.

Behind the high school, near the soccer and baseball fields, the thoughtful memorial, which includes a plaque, shows the students' broader awareness of the world.